The invention relates generally to heat transfer control apparatus and more particularly to a bellows type heat pipe for conducting heat away from electronic components.
The use of heat pipes for transferring heat energy from a higher temperature body to a lower temperature body are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4.402,358, 4,212,349, 4,561,040, 3,957,107, 4,313,492, 4,402.358, 3,822,743, 3,957,107 and 4,274,476 are examples of the state of the art heat pipes.
Integrated circuits (chips) are the most widely used electronic components. The chip manufacturers specify the maximum operating temperature of these devices, which is very nearly the upper limit at which a given device is capable of operating reliably. However, most devices work most efficiently at temperatures well below their specified maximum operating temperature. Thus, it is desirable to maintain the operating temperatures of these devices at values below their maximum operating temperatures. Heat pipes are therefore commonly used to transfer heat from a chip to a heat sink which is maintained at a temperature considerably below the temperature of the device.
It is highly desirable that a heat pipe for an electronic component operate efficiently. The heat pipe should be capable of conducting heat energy away from the electronic component rapidly. Unfortunately, the heat pipes being used presently are lacking in efficiency, and there exists a need for more efficient heat pipes. It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide a more efficient heat pipe for conducting heat away from electronic components including integrated circuits and the like.